Prank calls can toe the line of illegal harassment, though, and depending on what is said, might be illegal in other ways (threats, etc.). Racist Bar patrons joke about your mixed kid, you confront them, knock his wife out when she gets in your face. Though, from what i have read about the laws in the US, If the call is made with the intent to "annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass", it is in violation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (U.S.). Not only is it harassment, but it violates FCC laws as well. Am I in trouble? 7 Answers. Prank Calls that threaten violence, harm, or damage to a person or property are considered threats, regardless of the intended nature of the call. Is Prank Calling Illegal? Or some other crime/ civil liability? No, Calling the police is not illegal, Hanging on up on them are and not saying nothing. But it depends on two things the "people you prank call" and what you say "on the prank call" that defines if it's bad. Threaten. I wasn't going to tell them it would be on YouTube , though . 1 decade ago. The content however of the prank call isn't really threatening when I call hotels. Member since: May. Got caught shoplifting, extreme anxiety, should I be worried? 0 0. If you think the caller is a child (teens included), then just call during the day when she should be at school and see if you can get in touch with a parent. That kind of behavior also violates every phone company's terms and conditions of service, for which they can discontinue such service. You can sign in to give your opinion on the answer. I was crashed into 3 years ago, I put in a claim, now it’s going to trial, I’m scared!!? How cruel can you be to try and ruin your child's reputation by reporting them to police for an argument while the parent knows that I. I keep getting prank calls..FROM THIS girl and her friends, she doesn't even bother to block her number..I called back once asking if someone called from there she said no you have the wrong number :s but she keeps on calling me... with her friends I have no idea who she is..she doesnt even bother to block her number..is it possible to contact the police? and no prank calls are actually not unlawful, it, will in basic terms get the different man or woman, aggravated, and extremely offended. However, as with any telecommunications service, it is illegal and a violation of our Terms of Service to use PrankDial’s services for the purpose of defrauding, harassing, or harming anyone, or to wrongly obtain anything of … Is prank texting illegal? Ok me and some of my friends have been prank calling some kids from our school but one of them got really irritated I guess and he's like "stop it or I'm calling the cops that is a federal offense." He used 911 which is extremely illegal and stupid . In general, it may be unlawful to call someone late at night and say something stupid. 1 decade ago. Although making prank calls to friends or family might not result in reports to the police, if you're going to prank call strangers, or people who might not laugh along with you after learning the truth, you could actually get in legal trouble. You can sign in to give your opinion on the answer. level 1. they told her father that they were waiting for his daughter to come out and do 'pingas' with him and that she owed him money. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. and putting on a "jamican accent". Yes prank calling is illegal under the tellecommunications act. If it goes against common sense, it is probably illegal. Do you think the prank caller is a child? That way, in the future you can present that as evidence if need be. I hope this helps, and I hope the situation ends soon! Well, usually prank calling is made to have fun. Answer Save. It's Me! If you take the prank to far, you could also be looking at criminal charges for harassment or disorderly conduct. Q: College kids, all 18 or a bit older, decided to prank call people. Will Cannabis be decriminalize\legalised for recreational use in our lifetime? At the least it's harassment. Prank calls classified as harassing, obscene, disorderly comduct or an invasion of privacy may be addressed in criminal or civil court through a lawsuit or pressing criminal charges. If all prank phone calls were considered illegal, there would be many teenagers in jail for the phone equivalent of ding-dong-ditch. You sound like you plan on doing it. Is prank calling illegal? If you contact the police (which you can and should), they will tell you to consult the phone company first, and then subpoena any records from the phone company. 1. share. I just clown around with the person on the other line using Arnold's quotes and I NEVER call the same hotel twice. (both parties are minors) More . Sure..........you can call the police or the phone company and file a complant......... yep call the cops and press harassment charges on them. The response is in the form of legal education and is intended to provide general information. Got french fries? Its very annoying and im tired of it! Any state specific concerns should be directed to an attorney who is licensed to practice law in that respective state. But I'd follow these rules : ~Only call them once . Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Bullying by Prank Calls. This response, or any response, does not create an attorney/client relationship. Relevance. … EverReady2Kill. Disorderly Conduct. What do you think of the answers? prank calling can be defined as a mischievous phone call made to trick someone. There is nothing illegal about initiating a pre-recorded message to a phone number of your choice in compliance with our Terms of Service. Should I drive to from nc to FL in personal car with 180000 on it? Is there a statue of limitations on attempted murder ? Prank calls to Government offices and/or law enforcement agencies can be charged as felonies in many cases. If it's not it should be. Answer Save. If I took a video of me prank calling some people and uploaded it to YouTube would that be illegal ? i did it and i said something i shouldnt and i got arrested. 1 0. jwthoughts. My brother said you could get find for that? A single threatening or profane call is also a federal crime. Depending on what you say, the charges could be much more serious. To menace, or be dangerous. Lv 7. It is illegal almost everywhere. but if you call enought times the person can call 911 and report you to the cops , but you wont get arrested or charged, i dont think u can get in realy big trouble..... well it depnds on if u thresten to kill them, or fraud. the phone company should be able to advise you on the best steps to take to put a stop to this nonsense. My advice is, "Don't do it". If you were to be charged… Prank calls involving bomb scares are not lawful and you will likely spend time behind bars for it. No, Prank Calling Is Not Illegal. There is a fine line of legality on this issue and i think it would be better off NOT to prank call at all. Are you a child, teen, adult? Get answers by asking now. ? Anyway, thanks alot for getting me destracted for three hours looking all this stuff up. i know it's illegal to prank call the police, but is it still illegal anyway? Lv 7. "i'm going to hurt you" In Australia it is, i found this: section 474.17 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 . To make a threat against someone; to use threats. Thanks for asking. Well don't cry when you get arrested. 1 decade ago. While prank calling may seem like an innocent childhood fun, it is possible to be charged with a criminal offence for prank calling, depending on the extent of your actions. Answer Save. Yes it is. It is often a type of nuisance call.. Report Save. B continued to text the persona A made up. There is a key sequence you can press after a harassing phone call to report them to the phone company. What do you think of the answers? if you prank call a person to tell them you are going to kidnap them, then you are very likely to face charges of obstruction of peace. I don't think so unless you called the same number everytime that's harassment and yes that's something you will get into trouble for. can you contact the police.. This means that repeated prank calls may be considered stalking. Is prank calling legal? is that even true? Thanks (: and no prank calls are NOT illegal, it, will just get the other person, annoyed, and extremely angry. The penalties for stalking by prank calls can be very serious. Yes, It's called Harassing communications and it's a misdemeanor (at least in Arkansas) 4 0. and no prank calls are NOT illegal, it, will just get the other person, annoyed, and extremely angry Repeatedly calling someone to harass or annoy them is a federal crime. Favourite answer. Send Private Message; Browse All Posts (1,921) Block; Blocked; Member Level 14 Blank Slate. But judging by the question, I suspect you may have a hard time grasping what common sense is so I will just tell you YES, it is illegal. You would have to look at the specifics of the call(s) and then look to that’s states laws on the above mentioned matters. If the intent of the call is to amuse, confuse, or simply to engage the call's recipient, it would be possible to argue there is no violation of that Act. Yes. It is DEFINITELY illegal to prank call the cops and or fire department. 2 years ago. Who's liable? Ex. Yes, New Jersey also. As long as the prank call is harmless and does not have any lasting repercussions, you should be in the clear. 1 decade ago. If she calls back I want to be able to like Inform her ... that what she's doing is against the law..and its harrassment and stuff.. but i see a LOT of people do it, good luck for them getting arrested... well...i guess it depends on where u live USA is illegal. If your car breaks down on a bridge, are u at high risk of being murdered by homeless underneath the bridge and in the bushes nearby? Relevance. Repeated prank calls can also be a form of bullying, if they include harassment or make threats which are illegal. Prank calls are usually made with the intention to cause fear to the other person. Brawl ensues. Most of the time is illegal; It's telephonic harassment, and now almost every jurisdiction have laws specifically forbidding such calls. its only illegal though if you threaten or harass someone which includes calling more than once or saying rude or threatening things .I recently had someone call me from the internet where you can put any name and number in and it shows up as whatever you want it to say. No, Calling the police isn't unlawful, putting on up on them are and not asserting not something. 1 decade ago. Bostonian In MO. This varies by state, but few established laws on this. But recording the call might be ilkegal. What's it like to live in Pasco Washington. 1 decade ago. (2) Without limiting subsection (1), that subsection applies to menacing, harassing or causing offence to: (c) an employee of an emergency service organisation; or, (d) an APS employee in the Attorney-General’s Department acting as a National Security Hotline call taker. It is DEFINITELY illegal to prank call the cops and or fire department. Yes. Start the call as legit and then spin it so it is a prank call, or at least mildly annoying. Relevance? 0 0. southern_belle9282. A single prank phone call probably isn't out-and-out illegal. Who is killing all those Native American women in the USA and Canada? In this case, since you know who is doing the calling then you can most certainly pass on the telephone number to the police and they might call and try to defuse the issue. It is illegal. If you are an adult, then I would do a reverse number search and send a letter to the address asking them to cease the harassment. Nope im not sure i think you can get given warnings but thats bout it. How and when will liberals fix the homeless problem in California ? However, if you start calling every ten minutes day after day, or make threatening remarks, then you may be violating the law. Is prank calling illegal? There's a thin line between an obnoxious prank call and an illegal, harassing prank call. This response, or any response, is not legal advice. However, a practical joke here and there should be fine. (b) the person does so in a way (whether by the method of use or the content of a communication, or both) that reasonable persons would regard as being, in all the circumstances, menacing, harassing or offensive. Keep a copy for yourself, and be sure to send the letter via certified mail. Lv 7. Let's say I work at 7/11, I see someone stealing a candy bar and whoop their butt because my company won't hire security. Anonymous . I am a teen.. but they call me on my house phone. There is … A prank call (also known as a crank call, phony call or hoax call) is a telephone call intended by the caller as a practical joke played on the person answering. A prank call alone may not necessarily be illegal; however, depending on the facts, the call could violate the state’s harassment, stalking, bullying, wiretapping (if the call is recorded) laws and more. so the other night two of my friends decided to prank call and ex girlfriend of theres who is 16. they called her home phone number at about 12 at night, and her dad picked up. its just irrating especially when their like saying insulting things...none of us know them:s, what if your like saying insulting things? Could this be harrasment? Still have questions? it depends on that u say. When A felt the B started to get frustrated, A told them that A must have the wrong number. Is prank calling illegal in Texas? It depends on what the prank is, but this behavior certainly is not the mark of a good and honorable citizen. 7 Answers. No, Calling the police is not illegal, Hanging on up on them are and not saying nothing. some police departments take this thing more serious than others depending on what the laws are in your area regarding this type of conduct. I.e. Friend A thought it'd be fun to prank friend B so A got another phone and started texting them. they impersonated a boy from our area who is known to be a druggy. As the thread was closed for being 'illegal' the OP made a query as to whether the activity of prank calling was actually illegal not why the thread was removed. Although prank phone calls are considered practical jokes, our laws do provide penalties were they violate the law. To make a threat against someone; to use threats, section 474.17 of the Criminal Code Act 1995, 474.17 Using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, (a) the person uses a carriage service; and. If I prank call somebody saying that there was a taxi ordered on this number and they owe us money is it illegal but we never do charge them money. so idk... but i do it sometimes so if u realy tick them off and they gt to the level to call the cops i think u crossed the line and it might be a crime. This all depends on the harm caused by the prank. Offline. Recordings of prank phone calls became a staple of the obscure and amusing cassette tapes traded among musicians, sound engineers, and media traders in the United States from the late 1970s. The prank calling is often NOT illegal. There is a fine line of legality on this issue and i think it would be better off NOT to prank call at all. 9, 2008. 3 Answers. Get answers by asking now. After some admirable detective work (including that of the OP himself) we have come to the conclusion that prank calls are in fact an illegal activity and therefore should be removed under WP rules. keep a log of when the calls come in and how often they occur. While prank calling may not inflict any direct harm or impede a person's freedom, some states consider it a form of harassment, stalking or bullying. All this law does is begging people to make smarter prank calls, really. I Have been getting pranks calls all day today and earlier in the year some are creepier than others....Is this something to call the cops about? Lv 5. Still have questions? Don't believe what CAUSEIMBOYO says, he can't even write in complete sentences. States with cyberharassment laws hold that any phone call intended to cause the recipient emotional distress is an illegal action. the mail address of the United nations human rights office? joe r. Lv 7. So I live in Seattle, Washington and just lately I've started making some prank calls using an Arnold Schwarzenegger soundboard to friends then moved on to hotels. Would that be okay? You should contact your telephone company first of all-they will tell you how to proceed. Favorite Answer. ~No threats ~I wouldn't post/show their phone number . Favourite answer. 10 years ago. I keep getting prank calls..FROM THIS girl and her friends, she doesn't even bother to block her number..I called back once asking if someone called from there she said no you have the wrong number :s but she keeps on calling me... with her friends I have no idea who she is..she doesnt even bother to block her number..is it possible to contact the police? Many states require consent from everyone in the call. yes, first try and file a complaint with the telephone company. give me an example. BTW what do you mean threaten. prank phone calls (especially repeat ones) are not legal in any jurisdiction. I have the girl's number she doesnt even bother to block it!! Prank calling is not illegal though, if you are caught you can face charges for disturbing the peace.